Flame

Flame: Round Three. Earlier entries: April 26 & June 17.

Amuse bouche of salmon sashimi with tobiko, for a fresh start.

Barbecued eel with shiso, cucumber & wasabi. Another Japanese-inspired creation; a complicated recipe, but it tasted indistinguishable from the unagi teriyaki at most sushi outlets.

Moving from the Land of the Rising Sun to the country of pasta: saffron risotto with prawns, calamari, salmon & cod fish. Service here is pleasant and practical; knowing that we planned to share our food, the staff separated all our orders neatly into two plates without us having to ask.

Wood-fire grilled portobello mushrooms with garlic, shallots, rocket & pesto. Can mushrooms be labled as melt-in-the-mouth? Yes, thanks to a terrific topping of mushy olive tapenade.

King prawns with cream cheese tortellini. These meaty crustaceans would be satisfying on their own, but order this for the tortellini, stuffed within the perimeters of the prawns and deliciously enhanced by hazelnut butter & raisins.

Spaghetti with Wagyu beef bolognese & parmesan cheese. Sounded like decadence redefined, but the meat was overwhelmed by the tangy sauce, making this similar to regular bolognese.